Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

9 reviews

slburg's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse

msgslibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was a marvelous piece of writing, able to carry a story in a non-linear style chapter by chapter to slowly peel back the layers of the main character's life. I was worried I wouldn't like it at first because the opening chapter makes it seem like the main character's primary personality trait is being an alcoholic, but that thankfully isn't focused on with the same intensity for the rest of the book. If that's of concern, get past the first chapter and the story will get better from there. The worldbuilding that Dean is able to weave throughout the story is masterful, even though there are holes. In fact, the holes that are left make it all the more interesting. Our own history as a species is full of mystery and unanswered questions the further back in time we try to study, and the Book Eaters of this book are no different. This, paired with the rigidity of the social structures the Book Eaters live under, makes for a wholly enjoyable read with enough lore to not get bogged down. And if you love a feral woman/lesbian main character, Devon, this book's lead, is for you! There is also an underlying metaphor of disability rights and how to navigate the world as an autistic/neurodivergent person, at least through my reading, that Dean works in so subtly and fluidly that is moves but doesn't overstate itself. Wile extremely gory and dark at points, by the end this book was a breath of fresh air for a sci-fi/fantasy lover like me who loves seeing unique ideas in the genre executed well!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

happy ending

melissaslibraryy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book is a new concept of vampires (as per the author in an interview) and the thought of  a new take on vampire book eaters was so interesting to me and throughout the book I loved the story. The complex relationship of mother and son and how far a mothers love can go to save her child regardless of the consequences.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

deeofbkb's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Plot holes and the summary didn’t match the storyline 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Vomit

sav_22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It’s so hard to sum up my feelings on this book, but man did I love it. If I can compare it to anything, I’d say listening to the song Labour by Paris Paloma would be the closest thing I can think of. That song IS Devon. 
The way Dean writes about motherhood, trauma, and dilemma fascinates me. The concept alone is unlike anything I’ve gotten the chance to read, and I really love how devastatingly bittersweet and complex it is. I’d say that a lot of elements of the world of the book eaters resembles Handmaid’s tale, ifykyk.

This isn’t a book that circles around the sapphic relationship, which some may have critiqued for being a bit of a minor subplot. It is hardly a focus, but I kind of enjoy the way Devon’s sexuality is explored in such a simple and gentle way, contrasting the violence in which her femininity and motherhood is explored. The dynamic between Dev and Cai is tragic and beautiful and horrifying; it really is a story that drives home the absolute carnage that is motherhood. This portrays womanhood by extension as what it can feel like: messy, violent, tragic, and ruthless. Dev loses so much of herself, and her identity was stripped from her so constantly, yet she rises like a merciless phoenix. She is one of the most morally complex characters I’ve read about, and I adored her deeply. <spoiler/> If you want to read a book that is the epitome of female rage, i feel like this is the one for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Alcohol

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’ll admit that I just don’t like dark gothic stories. If you do, maybe give this interesting spin on a vampire story a try. The book eaters and mind eaters concept kept me intrigued enough, and the out of order storytelling was interesting. Check content warnings before diving in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Aphobia

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

I’m so fortunate that A) this book exists, B) I added it to my TBR, and C) I got to read it. I don’t even remember how this ended up on my TBR, but I’m glad I did. This story is slow, layered, and beautifully written

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Stalking, Car accident, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death and Incest

Eugenics

clairew97's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

I don't usually do horror or horror-adjacent and I literally just finished reading it on a dark and stormy night when I still have a touch of fever, so I need a beat before crafting a real review. It's undoubtedly fascinating, though! And the writing is lush but not overly so. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Acephobia/Arophobia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Slavery, Trafficking, and Fire/Fire injury